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[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 119 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 119

  Designating April 21, 2005, as ``National Kindergarten Recognition 
                                 Day''.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 25, 2005

Mr. Salazar (for himself, Ms. Landrieu, and Mr. Bingaman) submitted the 
        following resolution; which was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
  Designating April 21, 2005, as ``National Kindergarten Recognition 
                                 Day''.

Whereas Friedrich Froebel, known as the ``Father of Kindergarten'', opened the 
        first kindergarten classroom on April 21, 1837, with the goal of shaping 
        young children in a nurturing, educational, and protected environment;
Whereas kindergarten has a long history of enhancing children's cognitive, 
        physical, and social development in the United States and throughout the 
        world;
Whereas Margarethe Meyer Schurz opened the first German-speaking kindergarten in 
        the United States in 1856, Elizabeth Peabody opened the first English-
        speaking kindergarten in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1873, and the first 
        public school kindergarten classrooms were established under the 
        leadership of Susan Blow and William Torrey Harris in St. Louis, 
        Missouri, in the early 1870s;
Whereas kindergarten is a critical year in children's formal education, as well 
        as in their continued physical, social, and emotional development, that 
        prepares them for later school success and lifelong learning;
Whereas quality kindergarten programs use developmentally, culturally, and 
        linguistically appropriate curricula, teaching practices, and 
        assessments to support each child's learning and development progress to 
        reach his or her maximum potential;
Whereas teachers who teach kindergarten need to have specialized knowledge and 
        skills in working with young children to respond to the unique 
        interests, learning styles, and developmental characteristics of 
        children in their kindergarten year;
Whereas kindergarten programs need to be ready for all children who are 
        eligible, including children with disabilities and children who are not 
        native English speakers, and their families;
Whereas kindergarten programs should collaborate and coordinate with preschools 
        and with the other early elementary grades in order to provide a 
        continuum of appropriate, effective early learning for all children as 
        they transition to and through the early grades of school;
Whereas in 2001, more than more 3,700,000 children between the ages of 4 and 6 
        years old attended kindergarten, including full-day, half-day, or 
        alternate day programs;
Whereas the percentage of children attending full-day kindergarten programs has 
        grown from 28 percent in 1977 to 60 percent in 2001; and
Whereas establishment of a ``National Kindergarten Recognition Day'' will help 
        draw attention to the critical role kindergarten plays as the 
        transitional year from early education programs to the elementary and 
        secondary education system: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) designates April 21, 2005, as ``National Kindergarten 
        Recognition Day'' to raise public awareness about the impact of 
        the kindergarten year on the development of our nation's 
        children; and
            (2) urges the people of the United States to recognize the 
        historic tradition of kindergarten in the United States and its 
        contribution to preparing children for their elementary and 
        secondary educational achievement and experiences.
                                 <all>
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